Death of a Personal Hero
Steve Irwin was a personal hero of mine. I loved the way he was able to take his position at his zoo and parlay that into a worldwide media conglomerate that allowed he and his loving family take exotic and beautiful vacations.
His undying love for his wife Terri and his tenderness with his family was one of his trademarks. He was a real animal lover, but not an overbearing animal rights and environmental activist. With his straightforward approach to animal handling, he was able to teach whole generations about the beauty in nature and educate millions on animal rescue.
He died in a freak encounter with a stingray. I am heartbroken, but his family will miss him so much more, and my heart goes out to them.
From the Herald Trib here:
Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin killed by a stingray
CAIRNS, Australia — Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the “Crocodile Hunter,” was killed Monday by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.
Irwin was killed by a stingray barb to the heart on Batt Reef, off the remote resort town of Port Douglas in northeastern Queensland state, his wildlife park Australia Zoo said in a statement.
Crew members aboard Irwin’s boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead a short time later, the statement said.
